World Bank and IMF SAPS, Water Privatization, Public-Private and Public-Public Partnerships, Cochambabinos' Resistance, North-South Cooperaton and South-South Solidarity

Discussion with Marcela Olivera on water privatization and resistance in South America and the establishment of public-public partnerships for community owned and organized water services. We discuss the water privatization conditions tied to World Bank and IMF loans, the Cochabambinos' victory over the privatization of their water services by Bechtel, the Bechtel suit against Bolivia in the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes and the success of North-South cooperation in imposing public pressure on Bechtel to drop the suit. We also discuss South American constitutonal amendments recognizing a right to water, grassroots action to solidify such rights and South-South solidarity, as well as the challenges and successes of autonomous water sourcing by different communites in South America. Marcela Olivera was one of the leaders of Coodiadora de Defense de Agua y la Vida leading the Cochabambinos’ resistance to Bechtel and helped develop the Red Vida citizens’ network as part of her work with the Water for All Campaign for Food and Water Watch, which aims to establish community owned and operated water servies throughout South America.

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